Susan Amper's Blog: Bookcrazie - Posts Tagged "boston"
"The Unparalleled Influence of Edgar Allan Poe on his 214th Birthday"
Today marks the 214th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe, one of the most well-known and influential figures in American literature.
1809, 19 JANUARY. BOSTON. Edgar Poe is born to Elizabeth Arnold Poe and David Poe, Jr., both actors, playing at the Boston Theatre and residing probably at No. 62 Carver Street. Poe’s mother afterward wrote on the back of her watercolor painting, “Boston Harbour, morning, 1808”: “For my little son Edgar, who should ever love Boston, the place of his birth, and where his mother found her best, and most sympathetic friends.” The painting has not survived.
1811, 11 OCTOBER. Elizabeth Poe makes her last stage appearance, playing the part of the Countess Wintersen in August F. F. von Kotzebue’s The Stranger. She died on October 8, 1811, leaving Poe and his siblings orphans. He was just 3.
Poe was raised by John Allan, a wealthy merchant in Richmond, Virginia. Even with his privileged upbringing, Poe struggled with financial instability and personal turmoil throughout his life (a topic for another blog).
Despite these challenges, Poe was a prolific writer and is remembered for his innovative and imaginative works of poetry and prose. Some of his most famous works include "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Fall of the House of Usher."
Though Poe is known for his works of horror and the supernatural, he is less well known for his comic tales some of which are deemed to be tales of terror.
Poe is credited with pioneering the detective fiction genre with his stories featuring the character C. Auguste Dupin.
In addition to his writing, Poe was also a literary critic and worked as an editor for various magazines and newspapers. He was a controversial figure during his lifetime and his work was not always well-received, but he is now considered a crucial figure in the development of American literature. Today he has millions of followers on social media.
In Poe’s possession when he died was a bundle of his mother’s letters, written in a round hand, very like Mr. Poe’s, and two sketches of hers, one in pencil or indelible ink, the other in water colors, and represented Boston Harbour (I think from the Cambridge side) or view.
As we celebrate Poe's 214th birthday, it is important to remember the impact that he had on the literary world and the enduring legacy of his work. Happy birthday, Edgar Allan Poe!
*some specifics come from The Poe Log by Dwight R. Thomas and David K. Jackson.
1809, 19 JANUARY. BOSTON. Edgar Poe is born to Elizabeth Arnold Poe and David Poe, Jr., both actors, playing at the Boston Theatre and residing probably at No. 62 Carver Street. Poe’s mother afterward wrote on the back of her watercolor painting, “Boston Harbour, morning, 1808”: “For my little son Edgar, who should ever love Boston, the place of his birth, and where his mother found her best, and most sympathetic friends.” The painting has not survived.
1811, 11 OCTOBER. Elizabeth Poe makes her last stage appearance, playing the part of the Countess Wintersen in August F. F. von Kotzebue’s The Stranger. She died on October 8, 1811, leaving Poe and his siblings orphans. He was just 3.
Poe was raised by John Allan, a wealthy merchant in Richmond, Virginia. Even with his privileged upbringing, Poe struggled with financial instability and personal turmoil throughout his life (a topic for another blog).
Despite these challenges, Poe was a prolific writer and is remembered for his innovative and imaginative works of poetry and prose. Some of his most famous works include "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Fall of the House of Usher."
Though Poe is known for his works of horror and the supernatural, he is less well known for his comic tales some of which are deemed to be tales of terror.
Poe is credited with pioneering the detective fiction genre with his stories featuring the character C. Auguste Dupin.
In addition to his writing, Poe was also a literary critic and worked as an editor for various magazines and newspapers. He was a controversial figure during his lifetime and his work was not always well-received, but he is now considered a crucial figure in the development of American literature. Today he has millions of followers on social media.
In Poe’s possession when he died was a bundle of his mother’s letters, written in a round hand, very like Mr. Poe’s, and two sketches of hers, one in pencil or indelible ink, the other in water colors, and represented Boston Harbour (I think from the Cambridge side) or view.
As we celebrate Poe's 214th birthday, it is important to remember the impact that he had on the literary world and the enduring legacy of his work. Happy birthday, Edgar Allan Poe!
*some specifics come from The Poe Log by Dwight R. Thomas and David K. Jackson.
Bookcrazie
I will be writing short essays about Edgar A. Poe and American Literature. In addition, I will be reviewing some of the many books I read, movies I watch, and also adding assorted thoughts on whatever
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